Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the United Nations' concerns that the government of the United Arab Emirates has been funding or supplying Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Lord Benyon: The UK supports an immediate end to hostilities, both for the sake of Sudan's people, and to avoid risks of spillover into the wider region. We continue to support the international community's efforts to reach a ceasefire and work towards a civilian political transition. The UK welcomes the UN Panel of Experts' report on Sudan and expects all countries to comply with existing UN sanctions. We continue to work closely with partners in the UN Security Council to enforce these.

Tunisia: Foreign Relations

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of relations between the United Kingdom and Tunisia.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has a positive partnership with Tunisia, covering shared priorities such as trade, education, security, and tackling irregular migration, all of which featured in the UK-Tunisia Ministerial Association Council meeting on 12 October 2023 in London. The Association Council was an opportunity for the UK to discuss the principles and values of an open and democratic society, of legitimate political opposition, the separation of powers, civil society and an inclusive political process.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are continuing to hold talks with the government of Mauritiusregarding the sovereignty of the British Indian Overseas territory.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Yes, talks with the Government of Mauritius continue. The UK's priority is to ensure the long term continued effective operation of the joint UK/US military base on Diego Garcia. Mauritius has also publicly committed to this goal.

Tunisia: Development Aid

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government how muchfinancial aid the United Kingdom has provided to Tunisia in each of the past five years, and on what it was spent.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK does not provide direct financial aid to Tunisia. We provide bilateral Overseas Development Aid (ODA) through Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF) to support development projects in areas including economic development, gender equality, education, and marginalised regions in Tunisia. In 2023-24, the CSSF programme totalled £2 million. Over the past five years, the total cumulative ODA spend through CSSF is £32 million.

Myanmar: Rohingya

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, in their capacity as penholder for Myanmar at the UN Security Council, to help find solutions to the Rohingya refugee crisis, and particularly to create the conditions necessary for safe, dignified, and voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to use our UN Security Council (UNSC) penholder role to maintain a spotlight on Myanmar, including the Rohingya. In December 2022, the UNSC passed a landmark resolution on Myanmar, led by the UK, which stressed the need to address the root causes of the crisis in Rakhine State and create the conditions for the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Rohingya refugees. In December, at the Global Refugee Forum, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific reiterated this commitment. We will continue to use our platform in multilateral fora to reiterate UK support for sustainable solutions to improve the conditions in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Hong Kong: Sanctions

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce sanctions against Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and other Hong Kong officials responsible for the erosion of civil and political rights in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have made clear our strong objection to the National Security Law, which is being used to stifle opposition and criminalise dissent in Hong Kong. We keep all potential sanctions designations under close review. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions measures as to do so could reduce their impact.

Tunisia: Migrants

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the role of Tunisia in preventing movement across the Mediterranean of migrants seeking to reach Europe and potentially the United Kingdom.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government of Tunisia is facing a challenging situation with regards to irregular migration flows into and from the country. More than 95,000 people crossed the Mediterranean Sea from Tunisia to Italy in 2023. Efforts to prevent crossings are improving, despite the scale of the challenge and the resources necessary to effectively do this. To support these efforts, the UK is working with the relevant authorities, and is funding an assisted voluntary returns programme in Tunisia, alongside likeminded partners, to support the safe return of migrants from Tunisia to their countries of origin.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces is using proceeds from gold mining to fund its war against the Sudanese army.

Lord Benyon: The UK condemns any actions that fuel the brutal conflict in Sudan.

West Africa: Christianity

Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support persecuted Christians in West Africa.

Lord Benyon: The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. We monitor the situation for religious and non-religious communities globally, including in Africa, and work with governments, including with the Nigerian Government to promote FoRB. The UK is a founding member of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), which is a government-level network committed to protecting and promoting FoRB, including raising awareness and conducting advocacy campaigns on prisoners of conscience. West African membership includes The Gambia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the countries supplying Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces with weapons, including drones, howitzers, rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weapons.

Lord Benyon: The UK condemns any actions that fuel the brutal conflict in Sudan. There is a UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur, which the UN renewed in March 2023, and which complements a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country and support efforts to stop those who pose a threat to stability in Darfur. The UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur will be reviewed by September 2024. We continue to support the international community's efforts to reach a ceasefire and work towards a civilian political transition.

Keith Darby

Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what further assistance and support they intend to provide to Mr Keith Darby and his family in China.

Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ongoing case involving Mr Keith Darby and the Hainan Provincial Government in China.

Lord Swire: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthe Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs intends to raise the case of Mr Keith Darby with his opposite number,Wang Yi of China.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO continues to provide consular assistance to Mr Darby. Ministers have previously raised Mr Darby's case with the Chinese authorities. The FCDO's Permanent Under Secretary raised his case during his visit to China last year and HMA Beijing raised the case in January this year. The Foreign Secretary and FCDO Ministers will raise his case in engagements with China, and have asked that FCDO officials raise Mr Darby's case again with the Chinese Embassy in London and the Chinese MFA in Beijing.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Housing: Construction

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government in which years since 1945 they estimate that 300,000 houses or more houses were built in England.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Housebuilding is a priority for this Government. The Government is on track to meet its manifesto commitment to deliver a million homes over this Parliament. Since April 2010, over 2.5 million additional homes have been delivered, and the four highest annual rates of housing supply in 30 years have all come since 2018. Last year for example we saw delivered 234,400 net additional homes, which is over 75% towards the Government’s aspiration to see 300,000 new homes a year. But we recognise there is more to do.There are numerous measures that are being delivered as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act, the National Planning Policy Framework reforms, and future supporting policy and legislation to increase housebuilding. These measures aim to reduce planning delays, bureaucracy, slow build-out rates, and wider barriers to development. We have reformed rules around CPO and Hope Value. We are also introducing a new Infrastructure Levy which will reform the existing system of developer contributions, made up of Section 106 planning obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). The Government is committed to the delivery of on-site affordable housing through this Levy, and to delivering at least as much, if not more, affordable housing than the current system does.As the Secretary of State set out in his speech in December, putting plan making at the heart of the planning system will help drive a new wave of housebuilding, and the Government is working intensively to support densification in the hearts of our inner cities. A reformed planning system will help bring certainty to communities and developers, enabling them to take positive steps in building more housing, regenerating their local areas, and supporting economic growth.Annual estimates of building control reported new build dwelling completions, in England, for the period from 1946 to 2022, show that 300,000 or more dwellings were built in each year from 1964 to 1969. In these years there was a mix of new private and social housing built, including by many SMEs builders.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Public Bills

Lord Grocott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker during the past 14 years in respect of which public bills that started in the House of Commons has amotion been tabled to decline to give the bill a second reading in the House of Lords.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There have been five such cases since 2010, including the motion on 29 January 2024 relating to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill. The other four bills, along with the dates they were debated on second reading, were the Health and Social Care Bill (11-12 October 2011); the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill (3-4 June 2013); the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Bill (4 November 2014); and the Illegal Migration Bill (10 May 2023).

Private Bills: Fees and Charges

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker when the list of fees charged to promoters of private bills was last reviewed.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The current level of Private Bill fees was agreed to by the House on 27 March 2000, and the consequent amendments to Private Business Standing Orders agreed to on 24 July 2000, following a recommendation of the Select Committee of House of Lords’ Offices (4th Report, Session 1999-2000, HL Paper 45). A review of private legislation fees charged to promoters and applicants, as set out in the Table of fees in Private Business Standing Orders, is planned to take place this year.

Ministry of Defence

Defence: Standards

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the comments by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on 14 January, and by the Secretary of State for Defence on 15 January, regarding global instability and possible conflicts, what immediate improvements they plan to make to national defence capabilities.

The Earl of Minto: The Defence Command Paper 2023 (DCP23) set out how the Armed Forces and wider Defence would modernise and adapt to the changing context. We are investing over £50 billion in Defence to ensure we can protect the nation and help it prosper. We will continue to review our holdings of all essential expendable items, and will invest in such capabilities as complex weapons, general munitions, and operational spares stocks to meet the needs of sustained operations.As DCP23 set out, strengthening our resilience is critical. That is why we will continue to work with our partners across Government to identify vulnerabilities and test how we would better secure and defend the homeland in times of war.

HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales

Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales to be ready for active service.

The Earl of Minto: The Royal Navy is one of only two navies in the world able to operate 5th generation aircraft from two carriers.By maintaining two aircraft carriers, the UK has one carrier available at very high readiness for operational deployment, at all times.Any decision to deploy the carriers will be made in conjunction with our allies and partners and will be based on operational need. This is kept under constant review.

Navy: Tunisia

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions in the past year Royal Naval and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels have visited Tunisian (1) ports, and (2) territorial waters.

The Earl of Minto: No Royal Navy or Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels have visited Tunisian ports or territorial waters during the past year.

Defence Equipment: Iron and Steel

Lord Balfe: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the closure of the Port Talbot steelworks on the UK’s ability to defend itself and to support the defence of its allies.

The Earl of Minto: Tata Steel's plans to cease UK primary steel production at its Port Talbot steelworks are not anticipated to adversely impact defence. Specialist steels that are unavailable from UK sources are already sourced by our prime contractors from overseas suppliers. Other grades of steel are likely to remain available from UK sources or are widely available on world markets. Ministers across Government, including the Minister for Defence Procurement, continue to work closely with our suppliers to ensure that we have the capability to procure the steel required for the UK's national security and defence programmes.

Department for Business and Trade

Post Office: Public Appointments

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for a conflict of interest in the appointment of Henry Staunton as Chair of the Post Office.

Lord Offord of Garvel: Henry Staunton took up his post as Chair of Post Office on 1 December 2022. His appointment was made in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments and was subject to successful completion of all routine pre-employment checks, including consideration of any conflicts of interest.

Horizon IT System: EY

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the findings set out in paragraphs 1024 and 1028 of the judgment of Bates and Others v the Post Office Ltd [2019] EWHC 3408 (QB), what plans they have to investigate the conduct of Ernst & Young in respect of their duties as auditors of the Post Office, under section 498(1) of the Companies Act 2006, regarding returns from Post Office branches.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is responsible for investigations of possible audit failures in cases of major public interest. The FRC is aware of possible questions as to the audit work conducted at the Post Office during the period in which issues arose with the Fujitsu Horizon system and is continuing to monitor developments in this case.

Horizon IT System: Compensation

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to recover all compensation cost payments made to sub-postmasters and mistresses from Fujitsu, and when they expect Fujitsu’s contribution to those costs to be paid.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The extent of Fujitsu's culpability for the scandal will not be clear until the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry reports. However Ministers have made clear that the taxpayer should not have to meet all the costs of the scandal. In the light of such comments Fujitsu have recently apologised publicly for their role in the scandal and have accepted that they have a moral obligation to contribute to its costs. The Government welcomes these statements and will continue to discuss matters with Fujitsu.

Horizon IT System: WH Smith

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether WH Smith, which used Horizon terminals in branches which provided postal services, was treated differently to ordinary sub-postmasters when there were discrepancies in their accounting.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Government does not hold this information. However, we will approach Post Office Limited on behalf of the Noble Lord and write when we have received a response.

Horizon IT System and Windrush Compensation Scheme

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government whatis (1) the average compensation payment under the Windrush Compensation schemes for those wrongly deported, and (2) the compensation payment now being proposed for those sub-postmasters wrongly imprisoned as a result of Post Office action.

Lord Offord of Garvel: Data on how much compensation has been paid by the Windrush Compensation Scheme is published as part of the regular transparency data release. The latest data release can be found here, covering the period up to end of November 2023: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-november-2023. Data on average payments made to individuals suffering specific losses is not reported on regularly.Individuals who were wrongly imprisoned due to errors caused by the Horizon system will become eligible for a £600,000 up-front payment, or alternatively they can choose to have their claim fully assessed via the individual claim assessment process.

Horizon IT System: Civil Proceedings

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan tointroducelegislation to ensure that the statute of limitations does not prevent those affected by defects in the Post Office’s Horizon software from bringing litigation against any party associated with it.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Government are confident that the statute of limitations will not have the effect which the noble Lord's Question implies.

Post Office: Directors

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they, or the Post Office, plan to sue its board of directors for breach of contract or their statutory or other duties.

Lord Offord of Garvel: Until the Horizon Inquiry is completed, and all of the evidence is known, it would be premature to take action against anyone who may have been involved in the scandal.

Department for Work and Pensions

Household Support Fund

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an analysis of the geographic distribution of Household Support Fund recipients.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Household Support Fund is allocated to all 153 upper tier Local Authorities in England. The distribution of the funding is targeted at the areas of the country with the most vulnerable households, on the basis of Office for National Statistics (ONS) local population estimates and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores. Allocation amounts for upper tier Local Authorities in England are therefore reflective of population size and relative deprivation. Management Information (MI) was published for HSF1-3 following the completion of each scheme. The latest MI covering HSF3 was published in August 2023. This MI shows the amount allocated to Local Authorities and how it was spent. We will similarly look to publish MI for the entirety of HSF4 following scheme completion and subject to quality assurance processes.

Household Support Fund

Lord Blunkett: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to announce proposals for the renewal of the Household Support Fund provided to local governments in England for essential assistance to families and individuals, including for the needs of children outside of term time, to alleviate crises.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government has provided over £2 billion in funding for the Household Support Fund since October 2021.The current Household Support Fund runs from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, and the government continues to keep all its existing programmes under review in the usual way.

Department for Transport

Railways: Emergency Services

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions emergency services have attended incidents (1) at railway stations, or (2) on railway tracks, in each of the past five years.

Lord Davies of Gower: There is no single source of data on the number of occasions that emergency services have attended incidents at railway stations or on railway tracks.Data on incidents on public transport attended by the British Transport Police in Great Britain may be found in British Transport Police ‘Use of force statistics’.Data on incidents attended at public transport locations by police forces in England and Wales may be found in Home Office ‘Police use of force statistics’.Data on false alarms, accidental and deliberate fires ‘on trains’ attended by the Fire and Rescue Service in England may be found in in Home Office ‘Fire statistics’:Accidental and deliberate fires: Table 0303 - Fires, fatalities and non-fatal casualties in outdoor primary locations and secondary fires by motive and location, England.False alarms: False alarms dataset 2017 to 2023The department does not hold data on the number of incidents attended by NHS England Ambulance services at railway stations or railway tracks.

Railways: Access and Security

Baroness Smith of Basildon: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance is available for train operating companies regarding the security of stations, and access to, railway lines.

Lord Davies of Gower: The Secure Stations Scheme (SSS) provides a framework for Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to demonstrate how they are working to reduce crime and improve security and safeguarding at stations. Having an accredited station provides reassurance to both passengers and staff that the station is safe and secure. This is in addition to requiring TOC’s and Network Rail to undertake a range of measures to reduce the likelihood and impact of a terrorist attack.

Department of Health and Social Care

Antidepressants

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to theWritten Answerby Lord Prior of Brampton on 23 July 2015 (HL1632), how many prescriptions for antidepressants have been issued in each year since 2014;what was the annual cost to the National Health Service of those prescriptions; and what guidance is given to doctors and patients about the use of antidepressants, their subsequent withdrawal and potential long-term effects.

Lord Markham: The following table shows the latest data available on the number of prescriptions for antidepressants issued between 2014 and 2023, and the associated net ingredient cost:Time PeriodTotal Number of ItemsTotal Net Ingredient Cost (£)201457,149,109265,008,699201561,021,662284,746,655201664,703,639266,562,024201767,530,457235,076,090201870,873,979202,526,720201974,814,621201,729,659202078,866,866352,682,886202182,620,542288,099,250202285,404,864224,648,4972023 (11 months)80,970,256211,852,277 The requirement to provide a patient information leaflet with licensed medicines in the United Kingdom is set out in Regulation 267 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. As set out in Schedule 27 of these regulations, the information that must be presented in the leaflet includes special warnings relevant to the safe use of the medicine, and instructions for proper use, including the risk of withdrawal effects and description of all side effects, both long and short term. The leaflet must reflect in lay language, the agreed Summary of Product Characteristics for a medicine, which would include information on risk of addiction, withdrawal and the long-term consequences of taking a medicine. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also set outs guidelines for the management and treatment of depression in adults.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 24 January (HL1798), in what circumstances the economic benefits of improved healthcare are assessed.

Lord Markham: Economic assessment is undertaken in support of Governmental decision-making, particularly where significant new or existing public resources are required. HM Treasury’s Green Book provides detail of this and sets out guidance on appraising the impacts of government policy. These include employment and productivity effects, environmental impacts and changes in risks to life or health. The Green Book guidance covers spending control processes, including the development of business cases, as well as regulatory control processes, including regulatory impact assessments.

Cancer: Screening

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what oversight they are exercising over the NHS-Galleri trial.

Lord Markham: In 2021 the United Kingdom and devolved administrations set out their vision for the future of clinical research delivery, including for the NHS Galleri trial. Saving and Improving Lives: The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery lays out the ambition to create a world-leading UK clinical research environment that is more efficient, more effective and more resilient, with research delivery embedded across the National Health Service. A copy of this document is attached.The cross-sector partnerships built through the UK Clinical Research Recovery, Resilience and Growth (RRG) programme provide the strong foundations needed to succeed, drawing on expertise and support from industry, academia, charities, patients and the public, regulators, funders and the NHS. The RRG programme provides system leadership, oversight and strategic co-ordination of the work in order to implement the plans and deliver the ambitions set. It is co-ordinated by the Department and is making progress across a number of commitments.The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery (pdf, 439.4KB)

Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to disband the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.

Lord Markham: There are no plans to disband the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). As part of an internal restructure in the Department, OHID teams have been integrated into the groups of three Director Generals, under the clinical and professional leadership of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Embedding health improvement and prevention focused teams across the Department reflects the importance of improving the nation’s health and tackling disparities. OHID continues its role in bringing together public health expertise, analysis and policy to support evidence-based policy development.

Social Services: Finance

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how much the National Living Wage increase for 2024–25 will cost councils and providers with responsibility for adult social care; and the impact of this increase on market stability in the adult social care sector, especially in areas with a higher proportion of state-funded care users.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what burdens or impact assessments they have undertaken into the impact of the National Living Wage increases for 2024–25 on (1) councils with adult social care responsibility, and (2) care providers.

Lord Markham: The Department of Health and Social Care carries out regular exercises to assess the financial pressures facing councils and adult social care providers. These assessments account for a wide range of pressures, including changes to the National Living Wage, and these are shared with HM Treasury and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and are used to inform decisions on the overall funding available to local government.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

British Library and Cybersecurity

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance they intend to provide to the British Library to aid (1) its recovery from the ransomware attack on 31 October 2023, and (2) the continuation of its research services; and what additional measures they have put in place to assist British institutions to (a) improve overall resilience, and (b) defend against cyberattacks.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The National Cyber Security Centre and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have been working closely with the British Library since the cyber-attack it sustained in October 2023. DCMS formed an incident response team, providing security guidance, recommendations and support to the British Library, and officials from the Department continue to work with their counterparts at the British Library.The British Library is working hard to restore its services and began a phased return of key services on 15 January 2024.Despite the cyber attack, the British Library’s buildings have remained open and well-used throughout, and it has maintained some key services including reading room access for personal study and some limited collection item ordering, exhibitions, learning events, business support, and onsite retail. In the immediate aftermath essential services such as WiFi and event ticket sales were quickly re-established.On 15 January, the British Library restored a searchable online version of its main catalogue, comprising records of printed books, journals, maps, music scores and rare books.The Government Cyber Security Strategy sets out our plan significantly to harden the Government’s critical functions against cyber attacks by 2025, with all Government organisations across the public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities no later than 2030. We are working closely with publicly-funded institutions to enhance their overall cyber-resilience and to ensure that these targets are met.

Press: Internet

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they havemade of the impact of big technology digital companies on the online news media market.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As the independent Cairncross Review into the future of journalism identified, more and more aspects of society are played out online, and local news publishers are facing significant challenges in transitioning to sustainable digital business models. The Cairncross Review further concluded that some of the biggest technology companies are able to impose unfair terms on publishers, which limits publishers’ ability to monetise their content and threatens the sustainability of the press. We have introduced legislation to address the far-reaching power of the biggest technology firms. Among many other things, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill will help to rebalance the relationship between publishers and the online platforms on which they increasingly rely.We have also supported news publishers through the delivery of a £2 million Future News Fund, the zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers, and the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy. The BBC also continues to support the sector directly, through the £8 million it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme, which was expanded in 2020 to fund the placement of 165 journalists in newsrooms across the UK.Separately, Ofcom is exploring the possible impacts of the growth of online news, and the role of online intermediaries in particular, on media plurality, and what, if any, regulatory changes may be necessary to maintain and secure it. We will consider Ofcom’s recommendations when its findings are published.

Gambling: Young People

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support combating gambling addictions in the community at large, particularly among younger people.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government recognises that, while millions of people gamble without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. It is particularly important to take steps to protect those, particularly young people, who are at risk of experiencing gambling harm.In April the Department for Culture, Media and Sport published a White Paper following our review of the Gambling Act 2005. The White Paper outlined a series of measures to tackle practices and products which can drive harm and to ensure that people who are at risk of gambling harm and addiction are protected. These include new, frictionless financial risk checks, a stake limit for online slots games, improvements to customer-led tools, and tougher restrictions on bonuses and direct marketing. These measures will be complemented by strengthened messaging about the risks associated with gambling. The White Paper also contained a commitment to introduce a new statutory levy paid by operators to fund research, prevention, and treatment. In July 2023 the Gambling Commission also published a vulnerability statement, outlining its approach to identifying, supporting, and protecting consumers who are in vulnerable situations.We are working with the Gambling Commission and others to bring the measures from the White Paper into force as quickly as possible, and have already published consultations on a number of important proposals so that we can finalise details ahead of their implementation.

Football: Paris

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have ascertained that the UEFA has acted on all the recommendations from the Rodrigues Review into the events surrounding the Champions League Final played at the Stade de France in 2022.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: In May 2023, UEFA announced a suite of measures to address recommendations made by the Paris 2022 Independent Review.We continue to work closely with the Football Association, UEFA, and other operational partners in preparation for the UEFA Champions League Final 2024 to be held at Wembley, as well as preparing to host the UEFA European Championships 2028. All partners, including UEFA, are committed to delivering a safe and secure event, acting on the recommendations set out in the review, as well as our own domestic expertise in sports grounds safety.The UK is proud of our great track record of hosting major sporting events in the UK; ensuring that they are delivered safely and securely is a priority.

Home Office

Mike Veale

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 17 January (HL Deb col 463), when and in what circumstances Mr Mike Veale, former chief constable for Wiltshire, agreed that the manner in which he publicised allegations against Sir Edward Heath was “inappropriate”.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The reference to Mr Veale agreeing that the manner in which he publicised allegations against Sir Edward Heath was “inappropriate” was paraphrased from articles in The Guardian newspaper on 5 October 2017.The Guardian reported that ‘, the chief constable, Mike Veale, finally acknowledged it a mistake that tainted the investigation by implying the presumption of guilt’ and ‘Veale apologised for an appeal for complainants to come forward being made outside Heath’s house in August 2015, which critics said would encourage false claims.’

Overseas Students: Dependants

Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of dependents brought to the UK by foreign students in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022; and what estimate they have made of the number of these (a) foreign students, and (b) their dependents, who have since returned home.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office publishes data on Entry clearance visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of student dependant visas granted are published in table Vis_D02 of the Entry clearance detailed dataset. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relate to 2023 Q3.The Home Office publishes data on how people move through the immigration system in the Migrant Journey report. The report contains information on the number of people starting a journey each year broken down by immigration route (e.g. study) and applicant type (e.g. dependant), and how long they continued to hold leave to remain in the UK. The latest report covers up to the end of 2022. The report looks at periods when people held valid leave which does not necessarily mean they were in the UK.table Vis_D02 (xlsx, 2463.4KB)

Department for Education

Overseas Students

Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of undergraduate foreign students who graduated in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022; and what estimate they have made of the number of graduate foreign students who completed their courses in each of these years.

Baroness Barran: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA, now part of JISC), is responsible for collecting and publishing data about UK higher education. The latest statistics refer to the 2021/22 academic year. Figure 15 of HESA’s 'Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2021/22’ reports the number of qualifications obtained at undergraduate and postgraduate level at UK Higher Education Providers between the 2017/18 and 2021/22 academic years, and is available by students’ domicile (UK, EU, non-EU) prior to study. See figure 15 attached. Updates on the timing of HESA Student Statistics for the 2022/23 academic year are available via the following link: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/upcoming.Figure 15 Data Table (pdf, 81.0KB)

Department for Education: Public Appointments

Lord Grocott: To ask His Majesty's Government what public appointments are made directly by the Secretary of State for Education.

Baroness Barran: Public appointments made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education are published on the Public Appointment Order in Council; please see the attached document. The appointments are publicly announced on GOV.UK and can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-education-non-executive-appointments. The order includes those roles where official sign off by the King and/or the Prime Minister is required.HL1854 Public Appointments Order in Council (pdf, 241.0KB)

Treasury

Halifax Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group: Fraud

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will launch an independent inquiry into banking fraud at HBOS and Lloyds Banking Group.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: These issues are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) first and foremost as the independent non-governmental body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry. Dame Linda Dobbs DBE has been appointed by Lloyds Banking Group to consider whether the issues relating to HBOS Reading were investigated and appropriately reported to authorities at the time. When complete, the findings of the Dame Linda Dobbs Review will be shared with the FCA. The FCA will then consider whether further action is appropriate.

First Time Buyers

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, whatassessment they have made of the impact of current (1) mortgage interest rates, and (2) house prices, on first-time buyers.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The path to lower interest rates is through low inflation, and the government is fully committed to supporting the Bank of England to get inflation back down to the 2% target, including by keeping borrowing under control. While the pricing and availability of mortgages is ultimately a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene, our plan is working, and the average offered mortgage rates on 2-year and 5-year fixed rates have now fallen from their peak in Summer 2023. The most comprehensive measure of average house prices in the UK is published by the Office for National Statistics. The latest release is for November 2023, when the average house price in the UK was assessed to be £285,000. Importantly, the Government remains committed to making the aspiration of homeownership a reality for as many households as possible, and we operate a range of schemes that aim to increase the supply of low-deposit mortgages for credit-worthy households and stimulate economic growth. The Government also helps first-time buyers to save for a deposit through the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy: ISA. Over 873,000 households have been helped to purchase a home since spring 2010 through government-backed schemes.

Bank Services: Small Businesses

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact on small businesses in rural areas of having their bank accounts frozen or closed entirely.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the impact on small businesses of many banks, including HSBC, NatWest and Santander, not allowing them to open accounts.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatplans they have to ensure that banks do not unfairly refuse applications to small businesses to open accounts, given that there is no requirement currently to tell a customer why they have been turned down.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government recognises the vital role SMEs play in fuelling economic growth, and it is important they can access the banking services they need. Last year the Chancellor asked the FCA to collect evidence to help the Government understand where account closures and refusals are happening and why. The FCA published their initial findings on 19 September, and are doing further work with firms to verify the data and to better understand the reasons behind account refusals. In addition, the Treasury is continuing to engage with industry to understand any existing or emerging issues regarding bank account access for businesses. On 21 July, the Government published a policy statement setting out its plans to strengthen requirements relating to users’ payment service framework contract terminations. This will increase the minimum notice period in cases of contract termination to 90 days – giving customers more time to challenge a decision through the Financial Ombudsman Service, or find a replacement service. Providers will also be required to spell out to the affected customer why they are terminating their contract – increasing transparency and aiding customers’ ability to appeal decisions. Both requirements will be subject to certain exceptions, including if to do so would be unlawful.

Cabinet Office

Business: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the value of services sold by businesses in Northern Ireland to clients in the European Union in each of the past 10 years.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. The Baroness HoeyHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 30 January 2024 Dear Lady Hoey, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the value of services sold by businesses in Northern Ireland to clients in the European Union in each of the past 10 years (HL1788). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published subnational trade in service statistics for 2016 to 2021 [1]. Table 1 provides details of the requested figures. The required source data is not available for pre-2016 so we are unable to provide estimates for the full 10-year period as requested. Please note that data are in current prices and, as such, include the effect of inflation.Table 1 EU Exports of services from Northern Ireland to the EU, £ million 201620172018201920202021EU Services Exports from Northern Ireland£2,742m£2,767m£5,274m£1,779m£1,469m£1,555mSource: Office for National StatisticsYours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond [1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/datasets/subnationaltradetimeseries UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 129.1KB)

Question

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to require Government departments to inform those affected of any errors and flaws found in the computer information systems that they operate.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There are no plans to introduce new legislation to inform affected citizens of errors in computing and information systems operated by the government. There is existing legislation in the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) pertaining to personal data which protects individuals.

Question

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the performance and governance of the UK Statistics Authority.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) was established under the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. The Authority is an independent statutory body governed by the UKSA Board. It operates at arm’s length from the Government as a non-ministerial department and reports directly to the UK Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly. In June 2023 an independent review of UKSA by Professor Denise Lievesley CBE was announced by the Government. As part of the Public Bodies Review Programme the review has focused on governance, efficacy, accountability and efficiency. The review is currently in its final stages and the Government plans to publish it later this year. Further information on the UKSA’s performance and governance arrangements are set out in their annual report and accounts, found here: https://uksa.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/publication/annual-report-and-accounts-2022-2023/ Additionally, a review of the UKSA, conducted by Professor Sir Charles Bean, was provided to the Government in 2016 which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-uk-economic-statistics-final-report. While that review primarily focused on UK Economic Statistics, it also covered governance.